From both the Life-study of Exodus and the footnotes of Exodus we learn that half a shekel as a heave offering typifies the ascended Christ experienced by the people of God. This is paid by those twenty years old and above as the expiation silver (Exo. 30:15). This signifies Christ experienced as our ransom. This is needed because our natural man is not qualified to fight in God’s army. It’s noteworthy to realize that it is a heave offering and not the other kinds of offering. In fighting, position is strategic. An ascended position ensures victory!

Since this is the amount given when enrolled to be part of the army, this means once enrolled, we are to fight the spiritual warfare. And never in ourselves should we fight this warfare but we must fight in the ascended Christ. God needs us to fight because God has His enemies hindering His move on the earth.

According to Exodus 38:26, half a shekel is one beka and Exodus 30:13 tells us that a shekel is twenty gerahs. Therefore half a shekel is ten gerahs. Half a shekel being one beka means it is a complete unit whereas half a shekel being equal to ten gerahs means this is a full number. Yet since it is only half a shekel, God’s requirement in this matter is not too high; it is an amount affordable! As long as the saint functions, he is able to pay half a shekel that equals to his being drafted into the army to fight against the enemy and also able to participate in the building because in Exodus all the half shekels, paid by the Israelites were used in the building of the tabernacle. Therefore, we, in the New Testament age, whenever we function to prophesy in the meetings we are paying our half shekels. We are also building the church which is the tabernacle of today.

Exodus 30:14-15 says, “Each one was enrolled among their numbering, from twenty years old and over, shall give the heave offering of Jehovah, the rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than the half a shekel when you give the heave offering of Jehovah to make expiation for your souls.” The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel. This can be best practiced when meetings are conducted from house to house, particularly houses opened for the Lord’s table. The meetings gathered in a big meeting hall surely will be a showcase of the rich. The poor dares not function, whereas when the meeting is in a house, especially in your own house, no matter how poor you might be you certainly can give your half a shekel.

We cannot overemphasize how crucial are the meetings held at the homes of the saints. These home meetings according to Acts 2 were meetings not only for prayers, meetings according to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship but also meetings with the breaking of bread. Let us not put on colored glasses whenever we read Acts 2 just as how much time was wasted among us when we read Mark 16:16 with colored glasses. The baptism took place immediately, yet for decades even among us in the Lord’s recovery, we still required “good” preparation with interview before baptizing a believer! Praise the Lord in the middle of the 80’s of last century, brother Lee led us to realize the fact and truth in Mark 16:16. That’s why when the new way was first put into practice, thousands of souls were immediately transferred into God’s kingdom. We, in Regions I-VI of the Philippines, were greatly benefited by the dawning of such Scriptural practice because as of 1983 we only had eight churches in Regions I-VI of the Philippines whereas today we have 635 golden lampstands. Praise the Lord! We are now in the 21st century. Saints, how long do we still need to see that the believers in Acts 2:46 were breaking-bread from house to house? It goes without saying that once a house is raised for Lord’s table, it is also a gospel station, prayer meeting house, children’s meeting may be conducted there, too, and every kind of meeting suitable for God’s building has already a practical venue. What an honor that the Lord Himself is hosting the most important meeting in the universe right in your own house, when the Lord’s table is set in your humble dwelling place!

The Word proved the experiment done by the church in Malabon in 1998 of raising up houses for Lord’s table to be not only scripturally correct but also workably practical. Satan’s days are already numbered; his time will faster be shortened if every believer will have the bread-breaking meeting done at least twice in his own house every month. What tremendous perfecting the saint would receive for the faster building up of Christ’s Body! Those who want to have a fresh, first-hand experience and confirmation of the above statement may contact and visit the church in Malabon.

Grace be with you all. Amen.